India reaches 5-277 as wasteful Aussies rue missed chances

Australia World

India has controlled play on day two at the MCG, reaching 5-277 to eke out a first-innings lead of 82 runs against an Australian side that struggled to take its chances.

Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored a magnificent century, ably assisted by a fine innings from Ravindra Jadeja as part of an unbeaten 104-run partnership.

Australia were left to rue its missed chances, dropping three catches across the day’s play.

Tim Paine, Steve Smith and to a lesser account, Cameron Green were all guilty of dropping chances, adding to the one Marnus Labuschagne missed late yesterday.

That, plus a number of other chances that fell just short of the slip cordon, combined to give the impression that it was not to be Australia’s day.

Josh Hazlewood puts his hand on his head and looks downwards. An umpire watches on in the foregroundJosh Hazlewood puts his hand on his head and looks downwards. An umpire watches on in the foreground
Australia’s bowlers searched for an early breakthrough on day two.(AP: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Earlier, Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara looked in good touch until a phenomenal spell of fast bowling from Pat Cummins had both caught behind in consecutive overs by Paine.

Gill looked sharp with some exquisite drives to both side of the wicket, but offered plenty of chances as well to a luckless Australia.

A number of edges fell just short of the slips, while Paine missed a tricky chance off Gill’s inside edge in the second over of the day.

However, Paine made amends when Gill, on 45, feathered one to him when attempting a drive off Cummins, just as he approached a maiden Test half-century.

Pat Cummins runs with his fist clenched as two men wearing cricket whites run towards himPat Cummins runs with his fist clenched as two men wearing cricket whites run towards him
Pat Cummins made a double breakthrough for Australia before lunch.(AP: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

The Aussie captain then doubled down on his redemption arc, claiming a ripping catch to dismiss Pujara for just 17 in Cummins’s very next over.

If that was the cue for India to capitulate, they did not take heed as Rahane and Hanuma Vihari steadied the ship after lunch before Vihari attempted one sweep too many off Nathan Lyon — who was turning the ball prodigiously from outside the off stump — gloving the ball up to Smith for 21.

Rishabh Pant — controversially left out of the side in Adelaide — was next in and counter-punched superbly, adding a fluid 29 from just 40 balls before he slashed at a wide Mitchell Starc delivery to offer Paine another simple catch.

India’s stand-in skipper was solid though, bringing up his fifty off 111 balls and then pushing on to secure his century 84 balls later.

Ravindra Jadeja holds hit bat behind his head looking up in the airRavindra Jadeja holds hit bat behind his head looking up in the air
Ravindra Jadeja came in with India at 5-173, and played some lovely shots.(AP: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Jadeja was a willing partner to his skipper, curbing much of his natural stroke play to stick around and frustrate the Australian bowlers.

Even the new ball could not change Australia’s fortunes, with few chances being created and runs flowing from the bats of the two Indians.

Australia’s frustrations looked to be over when Rahane hit a rising ball straight into the air off Mitchell Starc, only for Travis Head to drop the simplest of chances in the final action before late rain bought a premature close to the day’s play.

An Australian Test cricketer falls face first into the turf as the ball runs away in the background.An Australian Test cricketer falls face first into the turf as the ball runs away in the background.
Australia’s defence of its total did not quite go to plan.(AP: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.

Live updates

By Simon Smale

Pinned

Australia vs India, day 2

         

18minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 7:02am

By Dean Bilton

THAT’S STUMPS!  India 5-277 leads by 82 runs

AP

Day two is in the books, and it most certainly belonged to India. That is thanks largely to their captain, Ajinkya Rahane, whose sensational century has set the Test up for India and got them back into this series in a big way.

It was a day of two halves if you’ll excuse the cliche – Australia started wonderfully with the ball, led by Pat Cummins, and took a couple of early wickets to threaten another collapse. But after grinding through the middle session, Rahane and co put their foot down after tea and took the team clear.

It was a struggle in the end for Australia, who dropped four catches across the day. The last, which was by far the easiest, came on the last ball of the day just to rub a little bit of salt into an ever-widening wound.

AP

So what does tomorrow bring? Better weather, that much is for sure. For Australia, early wickets is essential. For India, every run from here is a gift. Just quietly, Rahane doesn’t look done yet.

Be sure to join myself and Simon for more tomorrow, but until then, have a noice evening.

19minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 7:01am

By Dean Bilton

26minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:54am

By Dean Bilton

92nd over – Mitchell Starc to try again

Not sure what’s happening with the bowling changes right now. All over the shop.

And now it’s really windy at the MCG and stuff is blowing all over the pitch.

After Marnus played a bit of tiggy with a hot dog wrapper, Starc finally gets to bowl. Jadeja drives him for a single.

DROPPED! Travis Head drops a sitter! A good Starc short ball saw Rahane glove one straight up in the air to gully, where Head stepped forward, gently dived forward and took the catch. Until his elbows hit the ground, when the ball somehow burst back out. Deary, deary me.

And now the covers are coming on again. Mitchell Starc looks like he wants to strangle something.

I fear that might be the end of play for the day, in which case it really has ended in farce.

31minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:49am

By Dean Bilton

91st over – Cameron Green back into the attack

And his first ball swings back into Jadeja. His second ball nearly misses the pitch, but we’ll ignore that.

In fact all of his next three balls have been very wide of off stump. Needs to get his radar right.

Yeah, not Cam Green’s best over.

31minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:49am

By Dean Bilton

AP
34minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:46am

By Dean Bilton

90th over – Nathan Lyon, work your magic

Tim Paine turns to his spinner, and begs him to make something happen. So pivotal Australia stops India from getting away too much tonight.

A tidy start. Jadeja is keen to play Lyon off the back foot, and got himself into some uncomfortable positions as a result.

39minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:41am

By Dean Bilton

89th over – Hazlewood to bowl… eventually

Bit of a delay as Rahane had a sore thumb attended to and Jadeja ran off the field to go to the toilet. Tim Paine not particularly happy with either occurance.

SHOT! Dear me, Rahane is seeing them like beachballs. What a fabulous cover drive for four that is.

47minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:33am

By Dean Bilton

88th over – Cummins to bowl to Ajinkya Rahane

Righto then, all eyes on the captain. He’s four runs away from the first ton of the series.

Ooooooh, struck on the pads! No appeal warranted, because Rahane nicked it into his thigh pad, but it’s the first false shot for a while.

100 FOR AJINKYA RAHANE! THE STAND-IN SKIPPER STANDS UP!

And he has brought it up with the most convincing of cut shots. A wonderful innings, perfectly paced and balanced. After taking his time through some tricky early moments, he’s turned up the heat after tea and has moved to his century fairly rapidly. A captain’s knock, in every sense.

51minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:29am

By Dean Bilton

87th over – Hazlewood to Rahane

You can hear the excitement coming from the Indian fans in the MCG with every Rahane runs. Clever hands into the on side earns him three this time. He’s one good shot away.

Those are the only runs from the over though. Rahane will have the strike for the next over.

52minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:28am

By Dean Bilton

How costly?

AAP

56minutes agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:24am

By Dean Bilton

86th over – Cummins again

Rahane works another off his pad to fine leg for a single. Into the 90s he goes.

God, Rahane has just absolutely moosed another straight drive. This time Wade did well to get across to stop it.

More good fielding, this time by Green in the gully. Trying to keep a bit of pressure on Rahane.

Two more for Rahane thanks to a pull shot into the deep. Cummins battling for ideas a bit.

And another single to end the over. Rahane is doing it easily right now, and is seven runs away from the century.

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:18am

By Dean Bilton

85th over – SOS Josh Hazlewood

Jadeja on strike. What can Hoff muster?

Two for Ravi Jadeja through midwicket.

Tidy, albeit harmless over.

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:14am

By Dean Bilton

84th over- Cummins, and Australia needs something from him now

Too straight, and Jadeja takes him away to fine leg.

More runs. A controlled edge to third man for two for Rahane, who suddenly is within reach of a century.

SHOUT! Not a bad appeal, but probably pitched outside leg and was probably too high.

Now short leg is in the game! Not sure how close that one popped towards Travis Head under the lid, but it couldn’t have been miles away.

Better over from Cummins, still three from it.

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:10am

By Dean Bilton

83rd over – It’s Starc again

Very quick single indeed from Jadeja. Perhaps Hazlewood could have been slightly more alive at mid on. Or maybe he’s just very fast between wickets.

SWING AND A MISS! Rahane has a crack at a full and wide one, but makes no contact. Could have been four, could have been out, ended up nothing.

BANG! What a shot that is! It’s a garbage ball from Starc in fairness – short and wide – but Rahane gave it everything. It flew high over point and away for four.

India really taking control of the game now.

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 6:04am

By Dean Bilton

82nd over – Pat Cummins has the new ball now

I make that four dropped catches this innings from Australia. Two of them certainly easier than the other two, but still. Very costly, especially after you’ve been skittled for 190-odd.

LOVELY SHOT! Rahane has been sensational in his driving today. There’s another one straight down the ground for four.

He follows up with a carbon copy, just not quite timed as well. Labuschagne chases it down.

Now off the back foot from Rahane. Through the covers for two more.

Eight off the over, very well played indeed by the skipper.

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 5:57am

By Simon Smale

81st over – Starc to Jadeja

          

Runs first up from Jadeja, who tucks off his pads through midwicket for three.

             

Fuller, and wide of off stump, but Rahane fends away for no run.

          

DROPPED! SMITH CAN’T HOLD ON! 

         

Rahane cut at a wide ball from Starc, that flew to slip, but Smith shelled it. It was up above his head, but that should have been caught by Smith.

            

Fox Sports

          

Starc goes down past off stump the next two balls over the wicket to left-hander Jadeja.

           

And that’s closer, Jadeja flinched towards it, but the ball sails through untouched.

        

Drinks, and Dean BIlton, who has been chomping at the bit to be a part of this final session, will have you through until the close.

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 5:56am

By Simon Smale

Uh oh, someone forgot the ball…

             

(Fox Sports)

            

The new ball has been taken, belatedly…

1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 5:55am

By Simon Smale

Jadeja looking nice with the bat (AP)
1hour agoSunday 27 December 2020 at 5:54am

By Simon Smale

Any chance of some leg spin from Steve Smith. He needs to get some wickets. Not making runs!

-Alistair

       

Not with a brand new pill being delivered to the middle.

       

Plus I think we’d get some Labuschagne before we see anything from Smith, to be honest.